News and Views by the Fintech Times

In this episode of the FinTech Times News and Views podcast, Mark Walker interviews Samantha Yap, founder of Yap Global, at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They discuss the explosive growth of digital assets and Web3, the role of stablecoins in cross-border payments, and the regulatory environment in the UAE.TakeawaysBitcoin hit all-time highs, indicating explosive industry growth.Stablecoins are becoming essential for cross-border payments.FinTechs are bridging crypto and traditional finance worlds.UAE offers a favorable tax environment for crypto companies.Regulatory clarity in the UAE attracts global crypto players.Yap Global focuses on the evolving crypto story.Stablecoins offer instant payments, beneficial for service providers.Klarna's stablecoin launch could drive mainstream adoption.Multiple stablecoins for different currencies are expected.Amazon might soon accept stablecoin payments.Sound bitesBitcoin hit all-time highs.Stablecoins are essential for payments.UAE's favorable tax for crypto.Regulatory clarity attracts players.Yap Global on crypto evolution.Instant payments with stablecoins.Klarna's stablecoin launch impact.Multiple stablecoins expected.Amazon's potential stablecoin use.Crypto and traditional finance merge.Chapters00:00:00 Introduction to FinTech Times00:01:00 Samantha Yap on Digital Assets00:03:00 Trends in Crypto and Web300:05:00 Stablecoins and Cross-Border Payments00:07:00 UAE's Regulatory Environment00:09:00 Yap Global's Crypto Journey00:11:00 Future of Stablecoins The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

In this episode of the FinTech Times News and Views podcast, Mark Walker interviews Rico van de Veen, co-founder and CEO of Semi Liquid, at Abu Dhabi Finance Week. They discuss the launch of the Programmable Credit Protocol, its impact on digital asset lending, and the advantages of operating in Abu Dhabi's regulatory environment.Takeaways:Programmable Credit Protocol allows bilateral credit without moving collateral.The protocol solves counterparty risk and scales bilateral lending.Tokenization makes assets more mobile and instantly settled.Abu Dhabi offers a collaborative regulatory environment.ADGM is risk-averse but pro-innovation.Assets remain within regulated environments in Abu Dhabi.The Middle East fosters integration potential for custodians.ADGM stands out with a robust regulatory framework.Semi Liquid aims to be fully live by March next year.The goal is to be the new rail for institutional credit.Sound bites:"Bilateral credit without moving collateral.""Solves counterparty risk for both parties.""Assets are mobile now, settled instantly.""Abu Dhabi offers a collaborative environment.""ADGM is risk-averse but pro-innovation.""Assets stay within regulated environments.""Middle East fosters integration potential.""ADGM stands out with robust framework.""Fully live by March next year.""New rail for institutional credit."Chapters:00:00:00 Introduction to FinTech Times00:00:00 Introduction of Rico van de Veen00:00:00 Launch of Programmable Credit Protocol00:00:00 Advantages of Abu Dhabi's Regulatory Environment00:00:00 Future Plans and Integration The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of stablecoins and digital transformation with Anthony Soohoo, CEO of MoneyGram. Recorded live at Abu Dhabi Finance Week, this episode explores the rapid evolution of digital currencies, the potential of stablecoins as a "killer app," and the convergence of AI and digital assets. Anthony shares insights on MoneyGram's strategic refounding, likening it to Microsoft's shift under Satya Nadella, and discusses the importance of scaling trust in financial services. Discover how MoneyGram is leveraging its vast global network to simplify complex transactions and support diverse use cases, from remittances to real estate.Topics Discussed:Introduction to stablecoins and their impact on the financial landscapeMoneyGram's digital transformation and strategic refoundingThe role of AI and agentic AI in financial servicesThe future of digital currencies and the importance of trustTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction by Mark Walker[02:15] Anthony Soohoo on stablecoins as a "killer app"[10:45] MoneyGram's global network and digital transformation[18:30] The convergence of AI and digital assets[25:00] Closing thoughts on the future of financial services The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

Join us for an insightful conversation with Linda Fitz-Alan, CEO and Registrar of ADGM Courts, as we explore the digital transformation of Abu Dhabi's judicial system. Discover how the direct application of English common law and the digitization of court processes have positioned Abu Dhabi as a leading investor-centric jurisdiction. Linda shares her journey from Australia to New York and finally to Abu Dhabi, highlighting the strategic vision that has driven the modernization of the courts. Key topics include the role of FinTech and technology in enhancing accessibility and transparency, the importance of regulatory frameworks, and the UAE's leadership in the GCC region. Tune in to learn about the benefits of digitization, the challenges faced, and the future of judicial services in Abu Dhabi.Useful Timestamps:Introduction to the podcast and guests [00:00]Linda Fitz-Alan's background and journey [02:00]Digital transformation of ADGM Courts [05:30]The role of FinTech and technology [10:00]Regulatory frameworks and investor confidence [15:00]The UAE's leadership in the GCC [20:00]Advice for FinTechs considering Abu Dhabi [25:00] The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

Takeaways:eToro's evolution from TradFi to digital assets leader.The impact of DeFi and non-custodial wallets on finance.Tokenization of real-world assets is now possible.Regulatory environments are adapting to digital finance.The rise of Gen Y as a wealthy cohort.eToro's global expansion and local services.Trust in established brands like eToro is crucial.Digital assets are reshaping traditional finance.The importance of innovation in financial services.Abu Dhabi Finance Week's growth in fintech presence.Sound Bites:eToro: The OG of digital financeCrypto is software for moneyDigital assets will eat financeTrust in established brandsThe rise of Gen Y wealthDeFi and non-custodial walletsTokenization is now possibleInnovation in financial servicesAbu Dhabi's fintech growtheToro's global expansionChapters:00:00:00 Introduction to FinTech Times00:01:00 Yoni Assia's Background00:03:00 eToro's Evolution00:05:00 The Role of DeFi00:08:00 Tokenization and Real-World Assets00:11:00 Regulatory Changes00:14:00 Global Expansion and Local Services00:17:00 Trust and Innovation00:20:00 Abu Dhabi Finance Week Insights The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

Key Topics: Introduction to embedded finance and its growth - The role of banks as data mediators - Challenges and opportunities in data monetization - The future of stable coins in global finance - Insights into the digital transformation of banksQuotes:"Embedded finance is in its relative infancy.""Banks evolving from balance sheet providers to data mediators."Chapters:Introduction to Embedded Finance (0:00)Data as a New Revenue Stream (3:00)The Role of Stable Coins (6:00)Digital Transformation Challenges (9:00)Future Outlook and Closing Thoughts (12:00) The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

Introduction to Stablecoins (00:41):Mark Walker introduces the topic of stablecoins and their role in economic stimuli, focusing on the Japanese yen and government strategies.Global Perspectives (01:04):Aishwary discusses the varying approaches to stablecoin integration in countries like Japan and India, highlighting the challenges posed by capital controls.Regulatory Challenges (02:12):The conversation shifts to the regulatory concerns surrounding stablecoins, particularly the nervousness of central banks about losing control over monetary policies.Future Predictions (04:40):Aishwary predicts a significant increase in the number of stablecoins, potentially leading to a complex financial ecosystem with thousands of digital currencies.Consumer Behavior (06:09):The discussion explores how large merchants and tech companies might influence stablecoin adoption, potentially altering consumer behavior and financial transactions.The Role of CBDCs (08:00):The episode concludes with insights into the challenges faced by central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) compared to stablecoins, and the potential for a dual system involving deposit tokens and stablecoins.Key Quotes: "Stablecoins are reshaping the financial landscape, offering new opportunities and challenges.""The future might see an explosion of stablecoins, each vying for a place in the global economy." The Fintech Times News &Views Podcast delivers strategic insight into the trends redefining global financial services, with commentary from industry leaders and innovators. Discover more coverage, interviews, research, and partnership opportunities at thefintechtimes.com and follow The Fintech Times across all major social platforms.

TakeawaysSustainable finance is crucial for renewable energy projects. Emirates NBD is a leader in financing electric vehicles. Green buildings reduce emissions and energy costs. Digital transformation enhances ESG data accuracy. AI chatbots handle sustainable finance inquiries efficiently. Green bonds are integral to corporate sustainability strategies. Transition finance is key for hard-to-abate sectors. Carbon trading is essential for achieving net zero. Sustainable sukuks offer diverse funding opportunities. ESG investing aligns with long-term market trends.Sound bites"Sustainable finance is any finance allocated towards a sustainable project." "Green buildings are really important for us." "Digitalization is key for ESG data accuracy." "AI chatbots handle 500 inquiries a month." "Green bonds are a growing part of our portfolio." "Transition finance is key for hard-to-abate sectors." "Carbon trading is essential for achieving net zero." "Sustainable sukuks offer diverse funding opportunities." "ESG investing aligns with long-term market trends." "AI enhances our understanding of customer needs."

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Loqbox publishing new findings highlighting concerns about Brits' understanding of the lending sector, GoHenry research into including financial education within the national curriculum & wac urging the government to do more to ensure more employees are paid correctly.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about HSBC receiving a fair amount of criticism after it revealed that it was quitting the Net Zero Banking Alliance & re:cap launching in the UK, backed by HSBC Innovation Banking and Avellinia Capital.

On this week's episode of News & Views, the Fintech Times Podcast team are joined by Mouloukou Sanoh, Cofounder and CEO at MANSA to discuss dLocals' new partnership with BVNK which will allow them to offer faster settlements to their global merchant base & PAPSSCARD, the first pan-African card scheme, which plans to reclaim the continent's financial autonomy.

On this week's episode of News & Views, the Fintech Times Podcast team speak about dLocal and BVNK joining forces to bridge stablecoins and fiat currency, Yapil's new findings uncovering what merchants and shoppers view as the most important factors when offering or choosing a new payment method & the £40billion in crypto and web3 opportunities the UK can unlock, per Startup Coalition

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about new Project Nemo data revealing that 61% of adults with learning disabilities say banks don't meet their needs, Mastercards research into Gen Alpha's digital financial experience & Bitget's collaboration with UNICEF Luxembourg to advance digital skills and blockchain literacy among young people.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about crypto scam losses exceeding $4billion in 2024 with an increase in Deepfake and AI Tech use, merchants and financial institutions not offering digital ID being at risk of losing customer trust & the Financial Conduct Authority unveiling its ‘supercharged sandbox'.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about a recent report from Zilch stating that 66% of shoppers insist on carrying a physical card despite digital wallet popularity & Revoluts' official announcement that it will roll out its own branded ATM machines in Spain.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Apple launching Tap to Pay on iPhone in eight new European countries & Curve announcing that it will be launching Curve Pay on iOS as an alternative digital wallet to Apple Pay for iPhone users.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team discuss Payit by NatWest uncovering obstacles facing open banking with solutions to overcome them & Binance announcing that Pix will now be integrated into its Binance Pay payments solution in Brazil.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about the extent to which financial education impacts financial well-being & why In-app wallets are proving to be a popular payment method in the UK.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Boon Brokers research into why the majority of young adults in the UK are leaving school with a worrying lack of financial education & how the financial services sector has seen positive progress to better support deaf customers in the last two years, according to a new report by the Lending Standards Board (LSB).

On this week's episode of News & Views, Sponsored by TrustVanta, the Fintech Times Podcast team speak about recent reports from Wise finding that two in three UK adults have experienced a fraudulent attack, Revolut expanding its services once more into the mobile world as it looks to launch mobile plans & KMPGs new research into peoples attitude towards AI.

On this week's episode of News & Views, Sponsored by TrustVanta, the Fintech Times Podcast team speak about the UK Government pledging a £121Million investment into Quantum technology to combat fraud & Chipi Pays expansion into Mexico following a partnership with Starknet Foundation.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by TrustVanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about ClearBanks partnership with Captial on Tap & Pix having its payment capabilities expanded upon, as the central bank has announced a myriad of new features.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by TrustVanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Revolut revealing that UK consumers are losing money due to Whastapp scams, why UK banks need to focus on building confidence in the security of real-time payments & how other technologies such as Blockchain can still be given the attention they deserve under the limelight of AI.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by TrustVanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about the fact that two million UK adults have borrowed from illegal lenders in the last 12 months & how Somalia has successfully launched the country's first instant payment system.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about the Financial Conduct Authority reviewing whether the £100 contactless limit should be removed or increased, why many Brits claim they would rather remove fraud prevention checks to complete a transaction faster & Fintech Australias call for government intervention to avoid a 'two-speed' fintech ecosystem.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Welsh software provider Burbank completing the first online card-present payment, how the impact of late payments are continuing to grow for small and medium businesses & Kraken securing the Electronic Money Institution authorisation.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Tap to Phone seeing a 200 per cent increase across the globe in the last year & why almost one in four Brits believe that these apps are ‘in need of improvement' in some way.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team are joined by Emmanuel Daniels, Founder of The Asian Banker, as well as author, advisor and futurist, to discuss the AA launching Instant Savings Accounts, leveraging NatWest Boxed & dive into what the future holds for AI in Fintech.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about the significant opportunity digital wallets represent for consumers, as per the FCA and PSR, as well as Token.io and Fabrick's partnership, which looks to expand on the benefits and adoption of account-to-account payments in the UK.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about the growing threat of GenAI & how 97% of executives believe sustainability reporting will be a business advantage.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, the Fintech Times Podcast team speak about how almost 6 in 10 large UK financial services firms fell victim to at least one third-party supply chain attack in 2024, Project Nemo taking on Bankings accessibility challenge & Yuno launching the Mastercard payment passkey across Latin America to combat fraud.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, the Fintech Times Podcast team speak about businesses of all sizes within the UK now able to benefit from Apple‘s Tap to Pay technology, Australian small businesses using fintech solutions to generate $9billion in economic benefits & Nuke From Orbit launching a nationwide campaign to combat this growing crisis.

On this week's episode of News & Views, Sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about how we can overcome 'Blue Monday' Fintech challenges & discuss the UK's gender pay gap lack of progress.

On this week's episode of News & Views, sponsored by Vanta, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Fintech being the most funded sector within the UK in 2024, the majority still preferring to use debit cards despite the rise of Fintech offerings & whether the Uk's AI action plan is ambitious enough.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Fintech continuing to boom in Scotland & FV Bank users now being able to convert PayPal USD into USD in real time as the digital bank expands its stablecoin capabilities.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about some common predictions for the world of Fintech in 2025.

On this week's episode of News& Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about UK neobanks edging out traditional legacy banks in app downloads, according to a recent study by global software company SplitMetrics & explore whether enough is being done regarding inclusivity within Banking services.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about some of the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ professionals in the workplace & Ryanair integrating TrueLayer to offer customers Pay By Bank at checkout.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about TransUnion revealing firms are still battling against first-party fraud & Gen Z increasingly borrowing to survive, with many relying on loans from the 'bank of mum and dad'.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Eligible launching 'Conversations', a new product helping mortgage lenders engage borrowers and ensure they are making informed decisions & where the future of the digital economy may be heading as Checkout.com reveals early generation Alpha spending habits.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about The Financial Technology Association launching its annual campaign, Smarter Than Scams & The Entrust Cybersecurity Institutes '2025 Identity Fraud Report', which found that attacks involving deepfakes happened every five minutes in 2024.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team discuss experts thoughts on Wealthtechs they are most excited about in 2024, Vault22 launching in South Africa with the goal of improving financial literacy & Virgin Money's new mobiliser fund.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about Mastercard Pay Local making it easy for customers to utilise local digital wallets and make card payments to merchants & why Affirm, a responsible credit provider, has officially launched in the UK.

On this weeks episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about ANNA introducing biometric re-authentication procedures to stamp out cybercrime from taking place on illegally accessed accounts & mobile payments rising in the Nordics.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about how Loqbox has set out to provide people with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to reach their financial goals and feel better about money & the gap between how much people think they understand about money and the reality of UK financial literacy levels.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about the impact the broken credit report system is having on people's lives & Klarna unveiling 'Apple from Klarna'.

On this weeks episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about why US mid-sized businesses still use paper cheques, despite rising fraud risks and growing popularity of more secure digital payments, how Canada's payment market is rapidly digitising with the use of wearable payments & why only 1% of financial crimes are brought to justice.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about how signatories of the 'Investing in Women Code' were more likely to invest in female founders for the fourth straight year & how 65% of insurance claims handlers have noticed an increase in fraudulent cases with some using AI since the cost-of-living crisis hit.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about The Money and Pensions Service putting together a new charter, the UK Savings Charter, to help improve financial well-being among customers & discuss what more Fintechs could be doing to bridge the financial accessibility gap. Joining us this episode is Bethanie Kennedy, Partnership Manager at IE Hub.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about ChitChat users now being able to conduct both in-person and online transactions using their virtual debit card, how firms can maximise revenue by reducing customer churn, then acquiring new customers & how Klarna is on track to halve headcount to 2,000 by the end of 2025.

On this week's episode of News & Views, The Fintech Times Podcast team speak about how TSB is helping 23 domestic abuse survivors a month with its emergency flee fund, iDenfy face authentication check enabling firms to onboard new customers quickly and securely & how allpay has added a new local gift card to its range on its reward and recognition platform, following a successful pilot.